Recent sculpture from the Kitikmeot Region

Thriving in one of the most remote regions in an already isolated part of the world, the Inuit of the Kitikmeot region developed a vibrant culture from a combination of sheer strength of will and a deep-rooted attachment to the land and sea. Known as Netsilik, which translates as “people of the place where there is seal”, carvings from the area reveal a profound spirituality, encapsulated by otherworldly compositions, exaggerated gestures and forms, and an ardent respect for the supernatural. Since Karoo Ashevak’s meteoric rise in the contemporary art world in the early seventies, art from the Kitikmeot has captivated both seasoned collectors as well as new audiences, for whom the anomalous character of the work challenges conventional and perhaps outdated understandings of Inuit art and culture. Artists such as Uriash Puqiqnak, his son Wayne Puqiqnak and Andrew Palongayak have taken the helm from Karoo’s legacy, embracing and simultaneously redefining the visual syntax that first launched his career, and demonstrating the incredible resiliency that gave rise to an ancient culture and its persistence in the face of dramatic change.